Mississippi State basketball ready to follow Ben Howland’s lead to NCAA tourney success

So says Mississippi State guard I.J. Ready, the only upperclassman on what figures to be one of the youngest teams in the SEC.

“So these young guys come in from high school as Top 100s,” Ready said, “but when Coach Howland speaks, they get quiet and listen.”

The Bulldogs were picked to finish 10th in the league in the SEC Media Day preseason poll released on Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena.

Howland, in his second year at Mississippi State since leaving behind a UCLA program he took to three consecutive Final Fours (2006-08), said there is indeed much work to be done.

“Our keys are we’ve got to get better at every facet, we’re so young, and we’ve got to get better defensively,” said Howland, who led the Bulldogs to a 14-17 mark last season. “We’re not a huge team right now, we’re hoping Abdul (Ado) would make us a lot bigger and give us more length.

“But we’ve got to take better care of the basketball.”

Rowland signed the No. 9-ranked class in the nation according to the 247Sports composite rankings, with five players ranked among the nation’s Top 100.

Power forward Mario Kegler (6-7, 225, Oak Hill Academy) looks to make an immediate impact, as will Mississippi State legacy player Tyson Carter (6-4, 170, Starkville).